Let's Do It
by MyImmortal329
Summary: Carol and Daryl make a decision a out their relatiinship. AU/No ZA


Disclaimer: I own nothing from The Walking Dead. All characters from the show belong to the creators of the television show and graphic novels.

Let's Do It

Carol Mason was almost always the last to leave the office on Friday nights. Actually, she was almost always the last to leave the office most nights. She was one of the few at the counseling center that didn't have a husband or kids to get home to. She had her cat and a bottle of Merlot, and normally, she was ok with that.

But, she'd just turned thirty, and her best friend Michonne had just given birth, and she was the last of her friends to settle down. Except for Daryl Dixon. It had long since been a teasing joke from Michonne and Rick that Daryl and Carol would finally come to their senses and settle down together. They'd been friends longer than any of the group, and they knew each other better than anyone else.

The problem was that Carol worked full time as a therapist at a counseling center, Daryl was a truck driver who drove from coast to coast every other week. He had one week off between seven day stretches, and while he was paid well, it didn't leave time for much in the way of relationships.

Carol glanced at the clock as she slid into the front of her new Honda CR-V. Daryl was due back in Los Angeles in an hour, and he'd be back in town for a whole week before taking off again. She knew he'd be tired and hungry, and she'd already talked to him on her lunch break and promised him he could crash at her place so he didn't have to fight traffic to get to his apartment in Encino. She looked forward to the weekends he was home, because between her work schedule and his, two weekends a month was really all they got to spend together, because by the time she got off work, she didn't feel like going out, unless, of course, it was a Friday night. But with Michonne and Rick home with Andre, Judith, Carl and baby RJ, she really didn't have anyone to go out with. And Daryl surely wouldn't feel like going out after having been on the road for a week.

Carol was grateful she'd bought the little house outside of the city, away from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles, away from the noise of traffic and all night parties. She'd settled on a two-story house with an attached garage and a long drive. The pool out back pretty much sold her on the deal, but she hadn't had much opportunity to use it lately.

When she pulled into her drive, she was surprised to see the reflectors on the back of Daryl's rig. She noticed him sitting on her porch smoking a cigarette, and couldn't believe how early he'd made it back.

"Hey, you're early."

"Yeah, I was lucky to beat rush hour."

"It's L.A. Every hour is rush hour," Carol pointed out. Daryl smirked and stood up, flicking his cigarette out on the sidewalk.

"Good point."

"You have a key. You could have let yourself in, you know." Carol grabbed the brown paper bag with the bottle of wine she'd picked up on the way home.

"Nah, just got here. Needed some fresh air anyway."

"Fresh, cigarette polluted air," Carol teased.

"Hey, I'm tryin' to cut back," he insisted, as Carol made it up the steps and greeted him with a hug.

"How was your trip?"

"Long. Gettin' too old for this shit. No wonder Merle acted like an old man when he was my age. This shit's killin' me." He rubbed his back, and Carol gave him a sympathetic pout before unlocking the door. Daryl picked his duffel bag up off the porch and followed Carol inside.

They were greeted by Carol's four-year-old orange tabby Sammy, who lovingly tried to trip them by winding his way between their feet.

"Make yourself at home. Let me get Sammy taken care of, and I'll be right with you. You want to shower?"

"Yeah, think I might," he grunted. "Thanks." Carol gave him a smile and followed Sammy and his demanding meows. She quickly put out a can of food for him and added a little water to his water bowl. She cleaned out his litter box and cleaned up the last of the morning's breakfast dishes. Then, she climbed the stairs and passed the bathroom where she could hear Daryl just turning on the shower. She smiled then, stepping into her bedroom and stripping off her work clothes. She kicked her shoes off in the corner and moaned softly, wiggling her toes against the soft carpet. Sweet relief.

"Hey Carol?" he called, just as she slid out of her bra and panties, shivering as the cool air hit her skin. She tugged on her bathrobe and stepped back out into the hall.

"Yeah?" she asked, opening the bathroom door to find the glass shower stall all steamed up.

"You need me to save you some hot water, 'cause I might be in here a while." Carol bit her bottom lip and stepped into the bathroom. She stepped right up to the shower and opened the door. He turned then, hair dripping with hot water, steam curling off his skin, and he met her gaze. The robe slid open and pooled to the floor, and Daryl took every bit of her in, his lip curling in a little smirk. "Thought you weren't comin'."

"Are you kidding? It's been a week. You know what I want." She slipped into the shower with him, and his hands came to rest on her hips. "I thought you were too tired."

"Never too tired for this." He pulled her in then, kissing her hungrily, groaning when her hands moved up his arms and shoulders before she dug her fingers into his hair. He backed her up against the shower wall, as the hot water cascaded down his back, and she gasped when his hand moved between her legs, stroking her until she was panting against his mouth. "Tell me what you want."

"You know," she almost growled, nipping at his bottom lip, giving it a little tug.

"Wanna hear you say it," he breathed against her ear, giving it a little bite for he moved to trail his tongue along her freckled collarbone.

"Mmm," she hummed, reaching between them to stroke him.

"I want you to fuck me." Daryl grunted then, reaching to turn off the water so he could take her to bed. She stopped him, placing her hand over his. "No. I want you to fuck me here."

"I ain't got…"

"I'm still on the pill," she promised. "Have you been with anyone else since last week?"

"No," he bit out. "You?"

"Are you kidding?" she snorted. "When would I have time?"

"We ain't done this without a condom before. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for it, but…" She reached between them, stroking him, gripping him firmly to feel him pulse against her hand. "Christ, Carol. You don't know how bad I've wanted this." He kissed her again then, burying his moans against her mouth. She began stroking him in a steady pace, running her thumb over the head of his dick with each upstroke. And when his hand moved over her ass and then pulled her leg up to drape over his hip, she sighed happily and helped guide him inside.

"God," she panted, biting his shoulder and squeezing her eyes shut. "Daryl, oh, fuck." She leaned her head back against the wall as he began to thrust harder. He gently bit her neck, not enough to break the skin but just enough to send shivers down her spine, and she cried out, reaching around to grip his ass with both hands.

"So fuckin' tight," he growled out. "I ain't gonna last."

"It's ok," she panted. "Fuck, Daryl. Harder." He pushed his hands against the slick shower wall, praying he didn't fall and break both of their necks, and he pulled out before thrusting back home, harder and faster, getting sounds out of her he hadn't heard before. And she was so tight and her walls were pulsing around him. He held out until he felt her tense and then go limp in his arms, lazily bring her arms up around his neck. Then he let go.

They stood like that in the cooling stream of water, joined together, foreheads pressed together, panting and trying to come back down from their highs.

But then the water turned cold, and Daryl pulled out of her, shut off the water and grabbed a couple of towels for them.

"Thanks," she grinned. "You hungry?"

"Nah," he grumbled. "I ain't done with you yet." She yelped when he scooped her up and carried her down the hall to her bedroom, unceremoniously depositing her in the middle of her bed. The towel fell from her body, and she lay there wet and naked, still slick and glistening. She spread her legs, giving him a better view, and she leaned back, bringing her hand down between her legs, circling her clit with her fingertips, gathering up the moisture from her core and using it as lubricant as she touched herself.

"Fuck," Daryl panted, stiffening as he stood there. Carol's gaze traveled down his torso to his cock that was already twitching back to life, and she licked her lips.

"You just gonna stand there?" she asked, bringing her fingers to her lips, sucking off the sticky combination of his cum and her juices.

"Jesus Christ, you're gonna kill me," he growled, crawling over her, kissing her hungrily, tasting both of them on her lips. Carol reached between them, stroking him, moaning softly as she touched herself at the same time. He brought his hands down then, grabbing her by the wrists, bringing her hands above her head so he could grip the headboard. She shivered as he kissed his way down her chest, teasing her breasts before kissing down her belly. She gasped when he settled between her legs, giving her no time to prepare before he flicked her clit with his tongue.

"Oh God," she cried out. "Yes. Oh, fuck. Daryl. Please." She was almost screaming, and Daryl forced himself not to come all over the sheets. He teased her again, sucking the little nub between his lips, pushing two fingers inside, finding her hot and slick from their previous encounter in the shower. He tasted her then, and her legs began shaking.

"Daryl, please. Oh, God."

"What do you need?"

"I need to come."

"How? You want me to eat you out? Or you want me to fuck you?"

"Oh, fuck," she cried. "Daryl, please."

"Tell me."

"Unh," she panted, bucking her hips as he pulled back and took all of her stimulation away. "Daryl." She was begging now. "Please. Please. Oh, fuck. Please. Let me come." He touched her again, stroking her clit all too briefly with his thumb before he pushed his tongue inside of her. "Unh. Daryl. Please." He was going so slowly she thought she might bust, and she arched back against the mattress, gripping the headboard so hard her knuckles turned white. "Fuck me."

"What's that?"

"I want you inside me. I need to come with you inside me."

"Again? You really must've missed me."

"Shut up," she growled, making him laugh. He crawled up then, settling between her hips, kissing her hungrily so she could taste him, and he slid deep inside of her, filling her in a way he couldn't in the shower. She cried out then, gripping the headboard harder as Daryl pulled her legs up over his shoulder to drive deeper inside of her. "Oh, fuck!"

"Open your eyes, sweetheart," he panted, fighting his body's urge for release. "I want you to look at me when you come." She cried out then, and he kissed her deep, rolling a breast in one hand as he held himself up with one arm against the mattress. Carol's legs were almost locked around his shoulders, and she was certain her body probably wasn't supposed to bend that way, but it felt so fucking good, and her core throbbed with each stroke. Feeling him inside of her—nothing between them—was the most erotic thing she'd ever experienced. He felt so good, and she didn't ever want him to stop.

She squeezed her eyes shut again but quickly remembered his request, as her heart hammered in her chest. She felt the pressure coiling up inside of her, and she knew she was about to go over the edge. And when he met her gaze, she came, triggering his own release.

He collapsed on top of her, and she slowly unwound her legs from around him. He was heavy on top of her, and he was still inside of her, and she didn't want him to go anywhere.

He rested his head against her chest, and he panted softly against her skin, warming her, and she smiled, closing her eyes and gently rubbing circles on his back until their breathing slowed, and he raised his heavy head so he could look at her. She gave him a sleepy smile, and he finally slid out of her, rolling onto his back and rubbing his face with his hands. Carol lay there, exposed, unwilling to move as her nipples hardened in the cool air. But, Daryl threw a sheet over the both of them, and groaned, pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes.

"That was…fucking amazing," he groaned. "What got into you?"

"I don't know," she panted. "Are you complaining?"

"No," he snorted. "Surprised you didn't attack me the second we were in the door."

"Oh, I thought about it," she laughed. She rolled onto her side then, resting her hand on his chest. "I did miss you."

"Missed you, too," he murmured sleepily. Carol bit her bottom lip and grinned. She loved those few minutes after sex when he was sleepy and satisfied. She scooted closer to him, pressing kisses to his neck. He moaned when her hand moved below the sheet and caressed his stomach. He turned his head, and he met her kisses with his own, soft at first and then hungry, until he had her flipped onto her back and was kissing her breathless. When he pulled back, she smiled, closing her eyes and running her hands along his back.

"You know that thing we were gonna talk about when you came home?" Carol asked between kisses. Daryl mumbled something against her lips, and she giggled. "Daryl?" He pulled back.

"Yeah, I got some recollection," he chuckled. "You wanna talk about it now?"

"Only if you meant what you said."

"I did." He kissed her again, and then he pulled back. "And I do."

This, whatever it was, had been going on for the last six months. Carol had just gotten out of a relationship with a guy named Ed Peletier, who was charming and probably would have had her falling in love with him if she hadn't found out he'd cheated. Still, a month after the breakup, Carol was having no luck in the dating department, and one Friday night, Daryl came to crash after one of his week-long hauls. One thing led to another, and they'd ended up having sex on Carol's couch.

It had become a pattern for them since then. He always came to her place first, and they'd fuck until they were both spent, and he would usually leave the next morning. They'd become comfortable in ravaging one another, getting off, and going on about their lives.

A month ago, Daryl had hinted that he wanted this arrangement to be something more. They'd both been hesitant about it going in, because they wanted to maintain their close friendship. But the more they did this, the more they craved each other's company. The agreement had been strictly no strings sex, because they both led lives with hectic schedules and a good amount of stress. At first, it was a mutual itch-scratching. There was still the mutual understanding that they could still sleep with other people so long as they told the other about it. But neither of them made any effort to date, not that they had much time for it anyway.

At some point, it became something they looked forward to, something they fantasized about. And it was always good. Always. Perhaps because they'd been close friends for so long and knew so much about each other, it made the line-crossing easier and at lot more comfortable. But now it was becoming something more for him. Just the week before, right as he was getting ready to leave on his haul, he'd told her he loved her, and he hadn't given her a chance to respond. He'd told her, he'd kissed her, and then he'd told her they'd talk about it when he got back.

She turned onto her side and propped herself up on her elbow. "You should stay. Not just tonight. Stay with me this week."

"You want that?"

"Yeah," she whispered. She felt a lump form in her throat as she said it.

"Ok," he said slowly. "So what I said…it doesn't scare you?"

"It scares me," she admitted. "We were just getting used to what this was, and now it's different." She took a shaky breath.

Carol had been hesitant about future relationships since the breakup with Ed and the arrangement with Daryl. Honestly, she'd gotten comfortable with their routine, and she hadn't wanted it to change. Still, the last couple of months had been a turning point. He'd started staying two days, sometimes three. And the kisses goodbye had become sweeter, softer, slower. And Carol knew she was getting attached. How could she not? He was her best friend, and he was the best sex she'd ever had. Plus, they hadn't let things get weird between them. They could just as easily sit around, eat pizza and watch a movie while teasing each other about whatever came to mind as they could tear each other's clothes off and fuck like bunnies.

"It was bound to happen sooner or later," Daryl pointed out. "Might have started out as just sex, but you're my best friend. Hell, you're the only person I even think about when I'm on the road. I look forward to comin' home just so I can see you." Carol's heart did a somersault in her chest. "I like bein' with you."

"I like being with you."

"We have fun together. Whether we're doin' this or somethin' else." He cleared his throat. "I gotta tell you somethin'."

"What?" she asked. He sat up in the bed, and she sat up, too, pulling the sheet around herself.

"I told my boss I wanna cut back on my hauls. Cut it down to one haul a month. First week of every month, I'll be gone, and then I'll be home for three."

"Daryl, why?"

"'Cause I took this job to earn money, and I done that, and I got my bills paid off and money saved in the bank. I'm in a good place, we got some new drivers beggin' for more road time, and I got other things more important back home." Carol gasped softly, and she leaned in to kiss him.

"You mean that?" she asked when she pulled away.

"'Course I do. Look, I love my job, even if I complain about it. I love travelin' and seein' the country. But I love _you_ more." Tears brimmed in Carol's eyes, and she began to tremble. "Hey, I'm sorry if it freaks ya out for me to say that."

"It doesn't," Carol sniffled. "I don't know what to say."

"Guess all that's left to say is if you feel the same way. I mean, if ya don't, that's ok. We can keep this like it is, or we can…" She quieted him with a kiss. Her hands were in his hair, and she took his breath away for a moment. When they broke apart, Carol took a shaking breath and wiped at her tears.

"I love you," she whispered. "I've loved you for a long time, but it's different now. I want to be with you." The joy in Daryl's eyes made her want to cry, and she kissed him again. They sat together in silence for a moment, and then Daryl chuckled.

"What now?"

"Now? Now we can get some sleep and enjoy the week." She chewed her lip anxiously. "You could stay here the week, or…you could just stay."

"What?"

"Let's face it. You're here more than you're home. And you live, what, 45 minutes away in traffic?" Carol was nervous now, because it was starting to feel really real, but it felt good. She liked this feeling.

"You want me to move in?" Daryl asked. "You serious?"

"This house is too big for one person, and we'd need a bigger place than your apartment eventually."

"Yeah? Why's that?" Daryl grinned at her, and Carol blushed.

"Well, you know. We might get a dog."

"Oh, Sammy'd love that," Daryl snorted. Carol grinned. "You wanna do this?"

"Look, I love Sammy, but he's not the biggest conversationalist. I like having you here, and I hate seeing you go." She kissed him again. "I like the idea of you coming home to me, not just stopping by for a couple of days."

"Alright. Let's do it." He leaned in and kissed her then, before laying her back on the bed and crawling over her. She grinned up at him, biting her lip and running her hand up his arm and down his back.

"Yeah," she whispered. "Let's do it."


End file.
